NonstateactorsAfrica - Togo Jane's Citation

Togo has long been a centre for regional criminal activities, notably smuggling across the Ghana frontier and across Benin towards Nigeria.
This is partly due to geography: Togo's border to land area ratio is very high, Lomé is right on the Ghana border, while the national territory (Ghana to Benin) can be traversed in less than an hour. There are also ethnic connections across the borders.
National policies have traditionally encouraged Lomé's position as a regional trading centre with a free port and large banking centre. It has therefore become an attractive destination for laundering illicit proceeds.